December 17th, 2025
- Jessica Premo
- 22 hours ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 minute ago
Potpourri
Those of you who know me know that I’m a big fan of the game show Jeopardy. If you’re also a fan, you may be familiar with the recurring category called Potpourri, which features a collection of unused questions from previous games with no particular theme or order; it is simply a gathering of assorted items.
In that venerable Jeopardy tradition, here’s a bit of “newsletter potpourri” to wrap up 2025.
And finally, I sincerely hope you all enjoy a wonderful winter break filled with friends, family, and some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
Together. Onward. Forward.
Josh Axtman
President, Eden Prairie Education Association
Printer Changes are Coming
Over winter break, our district printer fleet will receive a refreshed, modernized user interface that brings all devices fully up-to-date with the latest Loffler/uniFLOW features. When you return, you’ll notice a cleaner layout along with updated tools for printing, secure release, and cloud-based scanning.
Here is a detailed User Guide to help you get familiar with what’s changing and what new options will be available. If you have any questions, please contact your building’s technology support specialist or submit an Incident IQ ticket.
AFT Debt Survey
To address growing affordability concerns related to cost of living, household expenses, groceries, health insurance, and more, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is conducting a debt survey to collect member stories about how debt is affecting their lives. This short survey will take only a few minutes to complete and will help the AFT identify the most pressing affordability issues, which will guide future advocacy and resources.
Continuing Education Opportunity for Counselors
St. Cloud State University was recently awarded a grant to support the recruitment, retention, and graduation of outstanding school counselors who will serve students across Minnesota. As part of this initiative, the university is offering tuition assistance of up to $400 per credit. More information is available here.
2026 Education Minnesota Political Conference
I am still seeking members interested in attending the Education Minnesota Political Conference on Jan. 30–31, 2026. The conference will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Conference Center in Bloomington and will focus on building collective capacity in 2026 to elect local, state, and federal leaders who respect the promise of public education for all.
Stipends will be available for leadership roles next fall, and conference attendees will receive training and information to become effective organizers for the upcoming political season.
If you have questions, or if you are interested in attending, please email me at joshua_axtman@edenpr.k12.mn.us or epea4you@gmail.com.
Executive Cabinet
The Executive Cabinet consists of four elected, and in some cases appointed, officers who manage and direct the operations of the EPEA. Per Article 7 of the EPEA Constitution, officers serve three-year terms beginning July 1 and ending June 30.
A complete list of duties associated with each officer is outlined in the EPEA Bylaws; these are available in the Members Only section of the EPEA website.
Your current EPEA Executive Cabinet includes:
Josh Axtman, President
Kristen Mantel, Vice President
Jessica Brent, Treasurer
Jessica Premo, Secretary
The current Cabinet’s terms expire on June 30, 2028.
Just “Snow” You Know: E-Learning Days
Memorandum of Understanding: E-Learning Days:
On E-learning days declared by the District, any employee is expected to work from home (as determined by the school district) to complete their regular duties, to the extent possible.
The first day of school closure due to inclement weather in a school year WILL NOT be an e-learning day, it will be a designated day for teacher preparation for future e-learning.
While E-learning days could be declared for a variety of reasons, the most common is inclement weather, particularly extreme cold and/or heavy snowfall that makes travel unsafe.
The first “snow day” of the school year does not require teachers to provide instruction; instead, teachers should use the day to prepare for a future E-learning day.
Any additional E-learning days do require staff to provide a mix of synchronous and asynchronous instruction, following a modified schedule that begins at 9:30 a.m. Building administration should provide a revised schedule for any such day.
Guidance from Your Member Rights Advocate
If you are in need of support at an administration meeting, believe there is a contract violation, or have performance/conduct-related support request, please connect with Carla Thompson (Lead MRA)
cthompson@edenpr.org or 952-240-6577.
Member Benefits:
Built In Benefits With Membership
ESI PerksConnect - discounts to area activities and restaurants
NEA Discount Marketplace - discount tickets and travel programs
Minnesota Paid Leave is Coming January 2026
The rollout of Minnesota’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program has raised questions and, at times, caused confusion. While some details are still being debated, guidance is available through our state union.
Education Minnesota staff have compiled updates addressing some of the more challenging questions; this information is now available in an online FAQ for members. A recording of the PFML webinar is also available on MEA Online (sign-in required).
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The Eden Prairie School Board held a Truth in Taxation Hearing, Regular Business Meeting & Post-Board Meeting Workshop on Monday, Dec. 8.
During the Truth in Taxation portion of the meeting, Andrew Adams, Executive Director of Business Services, presented information required under state law regarding the district’s budget and proposed property tax levy for 2026. The district is proposing a 2026 levy increase of 4.49%; this is lower than the maximum allowable increase of 4.81%. Eden Prairie’s property-based school funding continues to rank among the lowest in our area of the metro, both on a per-pupil basis and when accounting for total voter-approved levies.
The regular business meeting opened with a presentation on the new Area Learning Center. During Public Comment, multiple community members raised concerns about the district’s communication and approach to student safety in light of increased ICE presence in the Twin Cities and political rhetoric targeting the Somali community. The board then acted on several agenda items, including approval of the recommended tax levy increase, before moving into a closed-session workshop.
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 - Winter Break
Jan. 5 - School Board Annual Organization Meeting
Jan. 8 - Education Minnesota Day of Action
Jan. 30-31 - Education Minnesota Political Conference
"Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from from an empty vessel." -Eleanor Brown
Josh Axtman, EPEA President
Kristen Mantel, EPEA Vice President
Jessica Brent, EPEA Treasurer
Jessica Premo, EPEA Secretary